


Greatly Exaggerated

by FawnoftheWoods



Series: Not Alone Anymore [24]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Presumed Dead
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-14
Updated: 2019-11-25
Packaged: 2021-02-01 07:16:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21434029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FawnoftheWoods/pseuds/FawnoftheWoods
Summary: Somethings get greatly exaggerated.  Some things we hope are so.Or the mandatory presumed-dead fic for Tony that every Avengers fic series needs.  Can stand alone
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Tony Stark, Steve Rogers & Tony Stark, Tony Stark & Avengers Team
Series: Not Alone Anymore [24]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/602305
Comments: 23
Kudos: 129





	1. Insignificance

**Author's Note:**

> This one can stand alone but it also fits in my series between We Don't Leave Men Behind and Ecclesiastes. Again, this happens BEFORE Ecclesiastes!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony knows he's important to the team. He knows it! 
> 
> Right?

Tony hissed, as he frantically pulled at his gauntlet. It was stuck in the steel beam. That sucked.

Hearing a whine in his ear told him life was about to suck even more. He glanced over to see four of those robots with their guns pointed straight at him.  _ Shit _ He wouldn’t be able to hit them all.

“Hawk, anytime!” One went down.

“I can’t get an angle on the last one!” 

Tony continued to try to free his arm, but the steel had crushed the servos and it wouldn’t disengage. Another went down.

“Hurry up!” Steve’s call went over the comms as Tony heard his huff and run. A moment later he saw the whine hit pitch. He already knew his armor wasn’t strong enough to handle that hit. 

Suddenly several things happened at once. One of the robots was taken out with an arrow, the other fired, and Tony was engulfed by a blue suit.

“Cap?” 

The blast had knocked the shield out of his hands, but both men were okay. Except the robot was powering up. Tony saw Steve glance where his shield landed, internally calculating the odds and coming up short. Tony could see it too. He couldn’t get to it in time to do anything. “GO!”

Captain America ignored his friend and tried to help him pull the armor off his arm. They both heard the whine as a chorus in their ears called out. No one was near enough. 

“Steve!”

“Not leaving you behind Tony!” Tony felt a lump in his throat at that. He heard the whine hit peak.

Then one of Widow’s bites tore through its chest. Steve gasped, “Thanks Tasha!” 

“Wasn’t me,  _ humpff _ , lost one of my bites early on.” Tony blinked at Steve, but both let it go to focus on detaching the engineer from the steel beam. It took Steve a couple of minutes to bend the steel enough to release Tony’s wrist.

“Hawkeye check in, what’s the status?”

“Hulk just went into the subway. Nat’s doing fine. 30-odd left, though most of them went with Hulk.” 

Captain America glanced at Iron Man as he shook himself. “You okay?”

“Down the arm until I repair it, not hurt though. I’ll be fine.” Steve decided not to press right now.

“Follow Hulk. Hawk, Direct me to Widow.”

“Gotcha.”

\--

Tony winced as he bent the gauntlet away from his hand. It was quite stiff after being held this way for over an hour. They were on their way to the main lab in upstate New York. Normally Tony would fly there, but he wanted to grab a new gauntlet and Steve wanted Bruce to take a look at his wrist. In fact, the SUper Soldier was still yelling at him about it.

“I’m fine! Big Guy might be needed at the next place.” 

Steve was practically growling next to him. “Tony! You had a steel beam wrapped around your hand. That was not fine! You need that wrist looked at!” 

Tony frowned at him. “We get this guy and JARVIS can scan it when we get home, Happy Spangles?” He was too stressed for this conversation and he knew it. Seeing Steve almost get killed in front of him had rattled him more than he wanted to admit. Part of his irritation was because he couldn’t tell if it was because his father cared so much or because he did. That conflict was making his tongue sharper than usual.

“Not good enough. I don’t want you out there with an injured wrist when its not necessary!” 

And that was it! Tony clicked his gauntlet into place and shoved himself in Steve’s space.

“Whether you believe it or not, the Avengers need Iron Man!” He hit the door seal and dove into the jetstream to fly the rest of the way there with Hulk. 

Behind him Steve growled angrily and stomped up to the cockpit to watch as Iron Man met up with Hulk and two science friends continued north.

“Never follows the simplest of orders!” 

Natasha gave him an amused look as Clint snorted. “Wouldn’t be Stark if he did, would he?” 

Steve grinned despite his frustration. “True, and don’t tell him, but I think its why I value the guy so much.” 

Clint grinned back at him.

\--

Tony glared at the 24 foot tall metal monstrosity they were fighting. The little guys were keeping much of the team busy. Hulk would be nice, but they had been ready for him and what Tony would guess was some sort of anti-gamma weapon had shrunk his science bro. Natasha had taken the nearby robots out while Tony grabbed the unconscious scientist and deposited him on the quinjet.

Tony was able to make a dent, but the Captain America couldn’t get high enough to cause much damage. Plus he was distracted by the veritable army of metal whatsits on the ground, which meant the big one was all Tony’s. 

Lucky him.

“Sir, there is a disturbance in the woods not conforming to the fight. I believe you are being watched.”

“Got it, J. Scan for frequencies and let me know if it moves.”

“Yes Sir.” 

He looked over at his opponent, realizing that he had been still long enough for it to get a lock. Only to see it trailing after Steve. Tony wasn’t doing enough damage to it.

“Guys, anyone gotten into that place yet?” He had mostly been ignoring Steve’s attempts to talk to him. He grunted as the metal hand the length of his leg connected and plowed him into Clint’s perch. He winced as fire lanced across his forehead. That re-opened the scratch from the previous battle.

“We’re kind of busy still!”

“Well, seeing as I’m the only one making any head way on the big one, I can’t be the one to go in the building!” 

“Its targeting you Cap.” Clint’s response cut Steve’s irritated response off before it began.

“Yeah, I noticed. Stark, can JARVIS break into the computers.”

“You know for someone you didn’t need, you certainly need me!” Tony ignored the response (“ _ Tony, that wasn’t what I meant!” _ ) “J?”

“I would need an access port, Sir.” Tony quickly analyzed the field, letting his instincts keep him aloft and out of danger. “Cap, you remember what a USB port looks like?” Tony had been giving the time displaced man technology lessons since the team formed, but right now he was pissed enough to ignore that.

“Yeah.” Steve sighed, recognizing that his teammate was unlikely to let it go anytime soon.

“On the panel on the north side. Plug this in.” Tony dropped the remote usb antennae on Steve’s head before turning and blasting his last missile at the robot, he needed this thing taken out of the battle.

“J, As soon as Captain America is done, hack in and shut this giant down.” The robot was still targeting Steve. Tony grunted as he poured more power into the hand repulsers trying to simply knock the bot back. He was out of his effective armaments. “Remind me to get a sample of this metal for analysis. It really fucking strong.”

“Language, Stark!” Tony rolled his eyes. Steve was always like this when he had appearances in childrens’ locations, like the hospital on Monday.

“Thank you Captain America. I will add that to the list of things I’m fucking up today!” Tony threw a smaller robot at the larger one and blew it up, letting its explosives distract the robot still intent on Captain America.

“Yeah, you’re doing so well at that!” 

Tony growled as the robot got Steve in his range. “JARVIS how much longer?”

“48 seconds Sir.” Tony glanced around the battle field. “Dammit, JARVIS transfer your control protocols to Captain America’s Comm and focus on that.”

“But Sir-“

“Transfer Code RogersFondueAlpha.”

“Sir, you will be piloting the suit with minimal assistance!”

Tony grunted as he threw another bot. He couldn’t keep this up for much longer. JARVIS needed to override now! “Time to transfer!”

“2.3 Seconds” Then the HUD went green, signaling that Tony was in complete control and all automatic functions of the suit were in default mode.

“My Code is Rogers _ Fondue _ Alpha?” Tony watched as the large hand raised and pointed at the computer. He was out of time.

\--

Steve heard JARVIS complete the transfer and the takeover of the computer sped up. He glanced over to see that it wouldn’t be fast enough for him. He glanced at his shield, trying to figure the best angle for protection when he heard Tony on comms.

“JARVIS, activate Bruce End Game Protocol, Authorization GreenPepperIronSkillet.” Then Tony cut the comm and Steve watched as Iron Man dove right into the giant’s chest cavity and the entire robot exploded.

“TONY!” The Robot seemed to balance on its legs without a chest for a moment and then began to fall backwards and away from Captain America.

“JARVIS?”

“Sir, initiated the self-destruct on the Mark XI.” JARVIS stated softly. Steve felt that like a blow to the gut. “Computer control complete, all robot systems shutting down.”

“Any sign of Tony? Anyone?” He heard nothing for a few minutes.

“Cap, You need to come to the center. Nat found something.” 

Steve jumped over the legs and climbed the waist to see Natasha kneeling in the empty center of the robot. She looked up at him and held out her find. Her eyes were wet and Clint wasn’t looking anymore, scanning the perimeter for any threat. Steve felt his breath catch as he gingerly took the face plate. It was scorched and part of the mouth area was cracked. Turning it over, he saw the shiny substance Natasha was rolling around on her fingers. The inside of the faceplate was covered in blood.

“It must have blown clear of the robot before the chest blew.” Natasha sniffed a long breath to control her voice. “It was the weakest attached piece.” Steve looked around, picking out other smaller pieces of the suit by its coloring. The self-destruct was designed to make sure no tech was left behind, it had not been designed as a weapon.

“JARVIS, are you still piloting the Quinjet?”

“I could be, Captain.”

“What does that mean?”

“Transfer protocol removed all surface level jobs tasks from priority. The quinjet is sitting 2 miles outside what I calculated the fight zone to be. Dr Banner was still unconscious when the aircraft landed.” Steve swallowed. Tony had effectively given him JARVIS for the duration of the protocol.

“What was that second protocol? The Bruce End Game Protocol?” 

JARVIS was silent for a moment.

“Bruce End Game Protocol will take effect the moment Dr Banner awakens. Until then, I will maintain the transfer protocol unless it puts Dr Banner in danger.” 

Steve winced. He knew the AI well enough to know that JARVIS was being reserved with him. He glanced at Clint and Natasha. Natasha nodded and started for the Quinjet. Steve directed his attention back to the AI, “JARVIS, bring the quinjet closer, north end of the field. Widow will look after Bruce there. Connect me to New SHIELD.”

“Understood. Connecting comms to handler Coulson.” 

Steve looked at Clint to see him avoid all eye contact. “I’ll be double checking the area. Let me know when we want to enter the building.” JARVIS had scanned the building earlier and shown it to be abandoned. They still hadn’t located their adversary.

“This is Coulson, Report!” 

Steve took a deep breath and then sank deep into the Captain America Persona. His team needed that strength right now. “Iron Man is down. We need clean up here. My location radius ½ mile. No humans.” He heard Coulson catch his breath.

“Medevac is on its way.”

“No, Iron Man is not- He’s doesn’t need a medevac.” 

He heard Coulson gasp and there was a shakiness to his voice he couldn’t hide.

“Understood.” Coulson’s voice rang of understanding, a comfort in his ear. Captain America evaluated the next step, but couldn’t find himself caring about the building just yet. Realistically they need a scientist for the sweep anyway. “I assume you will take him with you on the quinjet.” 

Captain America looked down at the scattered bits of red and gold that had survived the blast. “No, what little there is will not be collected by my team.” He took a breath. “I expect what SHIELD collects to be sent to the Tower.” He heard Coulson stifle a sob and he felt his back tense and straighten.

“Agents will be on scene in 30 minutes. I will arrive in 40. I will personally see to everything.” 

Captain America grimaced. “Understood. Captain America Out.” He closed the comm and let himself close his eyes for a moment.

_ I’ll do my best Tony _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, Tony is NOT dead!!!!! No one dies on my watch X)


	2. Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rumors of Tony's Death were greatly exaggerated.

Tony woke with a gasp, scrambling off the ground and backing away from the figure next to him. He automatically reached into his ear to contact JARVIS to find no comm. He looked over at his companion.

Okay, that did NOT help his panic. He was sitting next to a fucking assassin. Closing his eyes and leaning back against the tree he had backed up into, he let himself breath a moment and try to piece together what had happened.

_ “JARVIS, activate Bruce Protocol, Authorization GreenPepperIronSkillet.” He made sure JARVIS acknowledged the protocol before cutting the comms and activating the self destruct countdown 3 seconds. He flew at a precise angle that will hopefully cause the robot to fall away from the team after the chest cavity blew. _

_ “Catapult release…NOW!” The suit opened his helmet, arms and chest and propelled him head first out of the suit. A moment later he was airborne, clear of the robot and the suit exploded. _

The blast must have knocked him out and clear. He glanced at the assassin across the fire from him. Steve had been looking for Bucky “Winter Soldier” Barnes for weeks, ever since the collapse of the old SHIELD. Tony had shown him the leads he had with one exception. He was trying to track the arm. It was unique enough that it might be possible, but he didn’t want to get Steve’s hopes up.

“Okay, so I’m obviously alive. Thanks, by the way. I’m assuming by the lack of broken bones you caught me before I hit something solid.” The dark head nodded quickly. “Okay. Got it.” Tony looked around. It had gotten darker so he had been out at least an hour. They didn’t look too far from where they had been.

“So, not that I’m not grateful, but why _did_ you keep me from becoming a Chili con Carne?” 

Barnes blinked at him a few moments. “He protected you.” 

Tony sorted through that. He probably meant Steve. Which meant “You were watching the battle. You were the one that destroyed the robot earlier today?”

Another jerky nod.

“Talking not your thing, got it. Do you care that talking is my thing?” A shake of his head was enough for Tony to keep going. “Great, so I assume we are still somewhere near Beaver River. That’s a hike to home!” Tony frowned, considering the next closest location he might find something to patch through to JARVIS. His eyes landed on the metal arm. It hadn’t moved since he woke up.

“Your arm okay? I mean it looks like crap tech but is it at least functional and everything?” 

He wanted to smack himself. This was probably not a good topic for the man and he really, really needed a way to contact someone. Breifly the idea that he might have a slight concussion passed through his head, but he dismissed it as irrelevant. Besides, what would he go about it here anyway?

“This Asset is damaged.” Barnes's low voice brought Tony's attention back to the clearing. He looked at the assassin with interest. ‘_Asset_’?

“Damaged as in annoying or damaged as in, nothing works so its now a stupidly shaped paperweight?” 

The dark gaze seem to lighten at the humor.

“Effective bat.” 

Tony blinked. The rough voice almost sounded amused. He chuckled and then groaned at the bruised ribs. Note to self: _Don't fucking move if you don't have to_! _OUCH_!

“When you want to do more than whack things haphazardly with it, let me know. I probably can get it at least functional again. Definitely build it better, you know. Genius, here.” Tony tapped his forehead. When that brooked no response, Tony looked around. “How’d you get here so fast? You couldn’t have run, even Steve isn’t _ that _ fast. The big guy yes, but he can leap tall building in a single bound and all.” 

“Bike.” 

Tony blinked. _ Oooooookay, no grammar, got it _

“I assume you mean motorcycle, cuz a bicycle would be hilarious, but way not feasible.” Tony frowned looking around again. He didn’t see a motorcycle. He looked at his companion again.

“Sooooo can we go to the motorcycle? You can drop me off in the nearest city. I can get home from there.”

The assassin stood and walked over. Tony fell silent, curious what the man would do, in a kind of terrified, but not way. Barnes knelt next to Tony. He reached out his flesh hand and placed it lightly on Tony’s left calf. Tony blinked at him in confusion before he tapped the leg. Tony groaned as pain lanced up the leg wholly separate from the full body throb he was ignoring. 

“Morning.” Barnes decided firmly, and Tony was really not in a position to argue with the man.

Tony panted through the pain of his broken leg. The throbbing it had been sending him had been lost in the rest of the general ouch of his body. Tony closed his eyes, until he felt calloused fingers on his head. He slowly felt his muscles relax at the gentle touch as the other man ran his fingers through Tony’s hair. The hand slowly moved down his arm to the leg itself and Tony glanced up, struggling to control his pain.

“Prepare yourself.” 

Tony glanced down and realized that he probably hadn’t done the leg any favors when he had backed up quickly. Barnes was going to set it.

“Wait wait, you’re going to set it here, now? I don’t know if that’s a good idea. Besides it already hurts like a- YAAAAAAOOOWWW!” Tony’s scream was short as he fell back on skills he had acquired in a desert several years ago. A strong hand kept him from curling around the injured leg, but he curled around the rest of himself a moment. 

“That hurt.” It was more a whimper than a complaint, but Tony thought it was okay. Besides, Barnes wasn't going to tell anyone, the man barely talked as it was. When he had a handle on the pain, he looked back up at Barnes, “Thanks.” He felt the other man freeze.

They stayed in silence as the other men never answered.

* * *

Captain America watched as Natasha slowly brought Bruce to the land of the waking. She had a sandwich and cup of tea with her. He glanced back over the back of the quinjet. They were only 10 minutes from home. Phil’s team had collected as much of the suit as they could find. It was all sitting in a box at the back of the seating. All that was left of Iron Man fit in a square foot box.

Captain America shook his head and walked over to kneel in front of the balled scientist who had scarfed down the sandwich and was now drinking his second cup of tea and looking significantly more aware. Aware enough to realize that they were missing a teammate, his science bro.

“Where’s Tony?” Unless the suit was too damaged, Tony always was around when Bruce woke up. Not usually the one handing him food, but just around, making sure his lab bro was okay. The rest of them thought they were adorable. Natasha glanced at Captain America and he nodded. She stood and walked to where Clint was driving.

“Bruce, Tony isn’t here.” Bruce blinked at him slowly, Captain America could see green and brown swirling in his gaze as he processed that.

“As in he’s already at the Tower? As in we will have to rescue the doctor’s from him when he wakes up or as in…?” Captain America waited, knowing the man would draw the conclusion. It didn’t take long. Bruce’s eyes widened as his chin trembled. “_ No _” His soft plea was heartbroken. Captain America placed a hand on his shoulder as a shudder rocked the smaller body. “No! He can’t- I mean how..?” His eyes suddenly widened and Captain America saw panic enter his form, “The other guy? He didn’t?”

“No! No, Bruce, no.” Captain America almost felt his mask crumble at the anguish in Bruce’s face. “He…The robot was too large. He was ou_ t- _ Out of missiles. He-“ Captain America stopped. He couldn’t physically force himself to say that. Not to Bruce. He could not tell the man that it was his fault that the best friend he had ever had, the one who understood him so well, was gone.

“Excuse me, Dr Banner.” Bruce glanced at the nearest speaker to listen to JARVIS. “Sir activated Bruce End Game Protocol.”

Bruce started and Captain America saw tears collect in his eyes. “I understand, JARVIS. Please contact Pepper and Colonel Rhodes to visit when they can.” 

“Yes Sir,” JARVIS replied. Bruce flinched at the title. “All authorizations have been transferred to your user space. It will take another 14 hours to lock down on all proprietary information for review. Final Messages have been delivered to the Avenger’s pad’s. I will hold Ms Potts’, Mr Hogan’s and Col Rhodes’ message until they have been informed.”

“Thank you JARVIS” Bruce’s whisper was broken and Captain America knew it was time to lose his own mask. Bruce needed Steve not Captain America. He tried to let himself drop the mask. He couldn’t. He couldn’t find Steve Rogers underneath Captain America. 

_ One more loss to mourn _ He placed a hand on Bruce’s shoulder and walked to the front of the Quinjet to see Avenger’s Tower come into view.

* * *

Clint disappeared the second the jet was secured and Natasha showed that she could walk. He entered the vents much more loudly than usual. Tears were coursing down his face as he slowly lost his ability to see through the water flooding his eyes. Blinking, he tried to clear his vision, but that simply made the tears run down his face to be replaced by more.

Blindly, he trusted his body to keep him safe and he just let himself crawl, run to his home. He could tell he couldn’t run from the knowledge, but he felt he would come apart if he didn’t at least try. Try harder. He should have tried harder! Found a weakness sooner. Something. Anything! 

He reviewed the arrows he had, trying to figure out which one he should have used instead. _ Razor arrows. Chalk Arrows. Gas arrows. _ There should have been something he could do. Could have done. He was the eyes of the Avengers. _ Exploding arrows. Claw Arrows. Tracker arrows. _ He should have seen something! He felt himself come up against a grate that gave way easily. _ Rope arrows. Fire arrows. Rappelling arrows. _ He fell into his nest letting a sob finally leave his throat. Here no one could find him. Tony had made this room accessible only by vents. Here he was safe. _ Clown arrows. Sucker arrows. Squirt arrows. _ None of them could have saved him. Tony gave him all those arrow heads and he didn’t give him the most important one.

The one that could save his life.

Clint curled up letting silent tears run down his face as he thought through all the arrow head ideas Tony had run past him. The gag arrows, the useful arrows, the fun arrows, the one’s he’d never play with because Tony was fucking dead!

He picked up the blanket in the room and blindly found the picture on one side. It had been a gag gift Tony had given him when they first moved in. He had given each of them a gag gift upon move in. Something with Iron Man on it. He knew Natasha kept the cookie tin behind the pots in her kitchen. And even though she never showed it to anyone, it was always filled with her favorite cookies. He knew she got a kick out of bopping it on the head to dispense a cookie out of the mouth. 

He let himself imagine the last time she had wanted to bop Tony one and let himself live in that moment.

* * *

Natasha helped Bruce to stand when they landed and had walked him to Tony’s workshop. That was where he wanted to go. She had left him there with the bots before retreating to her own floor a moment. There, she shed her weapons and extra tech, changing into looser clothing before heading to the gym. 

The punching bag was the target of her anger as she gave it a punch. She warmed up slowly, not usually punching the bag to work out. Direct punching wasn’t her style. Soon she was pounding on the bag, but it wasn’t moving. She knew it was because she didn’t have the weight like Steve, but she should be better. She had to be stronger. One more name on her ledger. One more person she couldn’t save.

Left jab, Right Right.

_ She took out two more robots and checked on the flying member of their team. Iron Man was zipping around the 30 ft robot like a hummingbird. The pot shots he could take were annoying the machine though. _

Left, Right, Left

_ “Guys, anyone gotten into that place yet?” Tony's voice came over comms. She dodged the next robot and calculated the distance to the building, realizing she was too far away right now to be the one to go in. _

Left Right Right

_ “Cap, you remember what a USB port looks like?” _

_ “Yeah.” _

_ “On the panel on the north side. Plug this in.” _

Right Left Right Left

_ “JARVIS, activate Bruce Protocol, Authorization GreenPepperIronSkillet.” _

Left Left Right Left

_ “TONY!” _

Tasha gasped as she missed the bag and grabbed it before she went down.

“Never figured you for a bag gal.” She glanced over to see Sam leaning on the doorway.

“Yeah, well, don’t believe everything you assume.” 

Sam snorted with a frown. He walked over to the bag. “Cap told me.” Tasha didn’t respond to that. “I had that movie queued up for all of us tonight. The one he wanted.”

Natasha glanced at Sam briefly before looking at the floor. “Well, I guess he won’t see it then.” She felt her throat threaten to close on that phrase, but she breathed through it. Sam shrugged as he threw a gentle couple of punches at the bag before gripping it.

“We could still watch it.” Natasha stared at him a moment. She had originally not been interested in team movie nights but Tony was a force of nature. For all that he complained about them pulling him out of his workshop for the movie, he was the one that pushed hardest for everyone else to show up.

“I want spicy popcorn.”

* * *

Captain America halted once he hit the center of his apartment. Glancing around, he decided a shower before a meal and stalked into the bathroom, removing his uniform as he went. 

He saw the clock behind him in the bathroom mirror.

_ “You okay?” Bruce’s quiet voice drew the blues eyes to him. He did feel a touch shell-shocked. _

_ “He made all this? For me?” Bruce glanced at Tony who was dismantling the clock in the bathroom and discussing protocols with JARVIS for the moment. “He offered all of us a place here. Remember? _

_ “He wants us to stay.” Bruce swallowed, but didn’t answer. _

_ “So what do you think?” Steve turned and gave him a full on grin. _

_ “It feels like it could be a home.” _

Captain America shook his head and stepped into the hot spray. The water washed the cold off his skin like it always did.

_ “Steve, you’re okay. You are not in the ice. Come dude, work with me. You’re heavy.” He snorted, feeling the sensation more than hearing it. _

_ “You need to lift weights more.” His voice was breathy and shaking, but Tony seemed glad to hear it regardless. “Yeah Yeah, a hot shower and you’ll be right as your usual patriotic self.” _

Captain America jerked himself to the present and dried off. Throwing on sweats and headed for the kitchen to deal with his fast metabolism.

_ “My dad used to talk about you. He spent a lot of time looking for you. Half my childhood, in fact, he went on arctic trips looking for you. When he was home, between working on weapon designs, he always called you the perfect example of a hero.” Steve felt his throat close as the son of a dear friend explained that even without him in Howard’s life, Tony had grown up in his shadow. “I was different. The best I could do was be famous.” _

Captain America downed the energy drink in one swig and set it on the counter. He picked up another.

_ “Not good enough. I don’t want you out there with an injured wrist when its not necessary!” _

_ Tony clicked his gauntlet into place and shoved himself in Steve’s space, eyes dark with hurt and fury. _

_ “Whether you believe it or not, the Avenger’s need Iron Man!” _

Captain America threw down the bottle. He looked around until his eyes landed on the plain white apron slung over the oven handle.

_ Bruce frowned as he gazed at the elevator his friend had disappeared through. _

_ “I read some of his reports when I as attempting to recreate the serum. Howard regarded you as more than a friend, you were a veritable beacon of hope for him.” _

He turned and walked into the living. He sat at the sofa and opened the small bottom drawer next to it. 

_ “Big man in a suit of armour. Take that off, what are you?” _

_ “I know guys with none of that worth ten of you” _

_ “ Always a way out…You know you may not be a threat, but you better stop pretending to be a hero.” _

He pulled out an apron with Iron man on the front using his hands to roast a marshmallow.

“Always a way out.” He held the apron in front of him.

_ “JARVIS, activate Bruce Protocol, Authorization GreenPepperIronSkillet.” Then Tony cut the comm and Steve watched as Iron Man dove right into the giant’s chest cavity and the entire robot exploded. _

_ “TONY!” The Robot seemed to balance on its legs without a chest for a moment and then began to fall backwards and away from Captain America. _

_ “JARVIS?” _

_ “Sir initiated the self-destruct on the Mark XI.” _

“Oh God Tony. I didn’t mean it!”

_ “Stark you know that’s a one way trip?” _

“Please Tony, I swear I didn’t mean it like this.”

_ “Sir initiated the self-destruct on the Mark XI.” _

“Not again. I wasn’t strong enough again.”

_ “Hang on!” Steve started out towards Bucky. He could almost reach him. _

_ “NO!” _

_ “Sir, initiated the self-destruct on the Mark XI.” _

“I’m sorry Tony. Bucky. I’m sorry.” Steve curled around the apron that he had hidden from everyone, just like his desire to be Tony’s friend. Hidden it because it was a secret, something he was embarrassed about. He felt all his muscles clench and he curled up on himself.

“_ Til the end of the line _”

Here in the empty home Tony had created for him, he let sobs control his body. There was nothing left except those sobs. 

Nothing

* * *

Tony flinched as he heard them return. The pain was bad enough but their questions, their constant dunking. He couldn’t take much more. He needed a way out. But where could he go? All there was was sand. Anywhere would be better than this.

He cringed back against the wall behind him. When their hand landed on his shoulder he cringed, jerking away. “No! No more!”

Tony sat up curling his arms protectively in front of him before he realized that it was a tree behind him, not a cave wall. And the voice wasn’t speaking whatever Arabic dialect they had been speaking but Russian accented English.

“Stark!” He looked up and met the worried steel eyes. Frozen in place, torn between the cave and the forest, he waited. When the hand that was stretched in front of him finally lay on his shoulder, he collapsed in on himself and breathed hard to prevent the sobs that usually followed such a nightmare. Only Bruce and Pepper had ever seen him come out of these. 

Pepper would run her fingers through his hair, slowly lulling him back to sleep. Bruce would pull him close and let him lean on him as he started some conversation about something geeky. He didn’t think the assassin wanted to do either so he worked on pulling himself together. The hand remained on his shoulder, and Tony used it to ground himself in this forest. He tried to focus on all the noises in the woodlands around them.

Both tensed when they heard a sound beyond their movement that didn't belong to the wildlife. That was not an animal. Both looked up as a man stepped into the clearing with a gun trained on Tony.

“Well, boss will like this. Iron Man, in the flesh. You’re supposed to be dead, you know.” The man grinned as Tony watched Barnes place his flesh hand on his metal one, pressing the wrist. “It suits my boss to keep you dead.” Tony wouldn't be able to move much with a broken leg but he wasn’t about to let himself get shot either.

They both moved at the same moment. Tony ducked down and rolled. Barnes reached out with his flesh hand, pushing the billionaire behind him and his metal arm whipped out and hit the man across the head. Tony winced at the sound, but the man was definitely unconscious. 

Barnes knelt over him. “Unconscious,” he confirmed. 

Tony nodded. “He’ll probably have a headache when he wakes up.” 

Barnes looked at him and grinned.

“See. Good bat.” 

Tony laughed. He was in the middle of nowhere in New York state with an assassin who was make jokes about his prosthetic metal arm. It was just funny now. Somehow, despite everything, he felt better.

* * *

Bruce looked at the schematic he had just finished. After Tasha had dropped him off. He had pulled up the program they had been working on before the call to assemble. Somehow finishing it made it feel like Tony wasn’t that far away. He knew better. This wasn’t the first time he had to accept a death. Hell, it wouldn’t have been the first time it was his fault, but if there was one part of this mess Steve had been able to articulate was that it was emphatically _not_ Bruce’s fault. Or the Other Guy’s. 

Bruce could feel the Other Guy waking up from whatever they’s been hit with and figuratively looking around. He could tell when the idea that Tony was gone integrated because the Other Guy didn’t like that at all. Tony had formed a special friendship with the Other Guy. One nobody but the two of them seemed to understand. Tony had tried to describe it to him once, but it was so garbled, Bruce hadn’t made head nor tails of it.

“Dr Banner, It has been an hour.” 

Bruce glanced up. He had asked to be left alone that long before dealing with anything. “Yeah. Thanks JARVIS.”

“You’re welcome Dr Banner.”

“Bruce, call me Bruce.”

“Yes Bruce. If I may?” Bruce waved as the elevator opened and ZoomZoom came out. Tony had created ZoomZoom several months ago as a curiosity project involved in search and rescue. JARVIS could send the little bot out for items, Its identification was as accurate as DUM-E, U and Butterfinger’s, but Bruce thought that was why Tony loved them so much. “Sir left several messages to be played in the event of his death. He also left a message for you specific to Bruce End Game Protocol. May I play it now?”

Bruce sighed and curled on the corner of the couch. “Go ahead.” ZoomZoom came over and Bruce noted that the little bot had managed to get into his room and collect the IronMan teddy that was on his dresser. JARVIS was probably the only one in the world who was aware that he cuddled it when he woke half transformed. He took it from the small bot with a quiet thanks as the screen popped up.

“Hey Buddy. I- DUM-E! No, not that one, the other one! Sorry, anyway Bruce End Game Protocol. I never told you I created it, or at least not yet, when I’m making this movie. I might in the future, well the future from creating this video, which would be your past.” Tony grinned widely. “If you were here while I made this vid you would have already called my name.” 

Bruce chuckled.

“Anyway, Bruce End Game protocol is a security measure. It effectively transfers all Avenger’s type activities to you, including J and the Tower. Any designs towards that or SHIELD or whoever is also under that. The Stark Industries stuff are under Pep, but the development files are under you. Same with the military stuff except that’s Rhodey not Pepper. JARVIS should be locking down on any information share or data share that is not health related right now. You will have to review it with Pepper and re-issue the permissions. Sorry about the paperwork.”

“It also includes the intelligence files on the world, like the avengers. I let JARVIS filter the important information for me cuz they are way long. I did read them all once, but trust me, the info isn’t worth the headache in some points. I mean, editing people! Its a thing! Turns out bureaucrats are long-winded on paper too. I mean the medical stuff was at least interesting in a science-y kind of way. So, yeah. Yay reading!"

“JARVIS is schedules to keep upgrading himself, but in 15 years without input from a good hacker, he will start to pull himself out of the net to protect this stuff. You’ve got that long. The bots are okay. I have easy how-to instructions for their repair stored in the safe. I never told you, but ZoomZoom was actually supposed to be yours. He likes you better anyway.”

Bruce looked down at the little bot that was at his feet. It had become habit while Bruce was in the lab and Bruce had gotten used to making sure not to step on him and thus rollerskating across the lab.

“You’ll find a list of scientist and engineers that could probably help with the inventing for the Avengers in J’s database. The Bruce End Game Protocol also activates my will. Relax, Pepper is aware of it. At least I think I told her. I believe she helped me get it to a lawyer to sign or something. Don’t forget to make a master Password for yourself.” Tony smiled at the camera.

“Thanks Bud. Ciao.” 

Bruce stared at the screen where Tony had just disappeared. “JARVIS?”

“Yes Bruce?”

“Can I see the other video for me?”

“Yes Bruce. Also, there is a separate video for the Hulk, when he is ready.” 

Bruce nearly grinned through his tears. That sounded like Tony.

“Hi Brucie. This video is for you. If I’m gone and I never say some things, I want to say them. When I lost Jarvis, the human Jarvis, I realized I had never told him the most important thing. I didn’t want to take that chance with you, but I doubt I'll ever get the courage to say it to your face. I’m a coward, Bruce. I’m terrified of the Avengers. They are my family and I haven’t had a family for so long. Even then the family wasn’t very nice. Happy, Pepper and Rhodey taught me was a true family was. But you guys gave me a new one. And the whole thing was started with a geeky guy who knew instantly that if you know how to break the Coulomb Barrier, you can achieve fusion in any reactor on the planet." Tony gave the camera a shy smile. 

“I had given up on finding someone who understood me, but you do understand me, Bruce. Better than anyone I ever met. I cannot put into words what that means to me. I’m usually so eloquent, but in this case, I don’t think the words exist. Not in any language I know. If I set everything up right, you should now own all the workshops I used, or you will once the lawyers are through with everything. So I guess there is only one thing left to say."

“Shall we play, Doctor?”

* * *

Tony groaned as he sat up, not interested in any way in sleeping. Barnes glanced at him.

“Sleep.” Tony chuckled.

“Right, yeah, okay, Pepper can’t even get me to sleep that easily and she’s creative. Sorry dude, I’m awake for the near future. Besides I usually stay awake for days on end so seriously!” Tony gasped as he accidentally jarred his leg.

“Okay so I get you don’t want to talk, but do you care if I do? I don’t really have anything else to keep me busy.” Barnes was just staring at him. Finally he nodded and settled himself back against the rock he was using at a seat to be sentry to their little clearing.

“Great. You know I’ve been wondering about that arm-“

* * *

Clint was checking on Natasha when he remembered JARVIS. After checking on her watching a movie with Sam, he crawled back to his room.

“Hey JARVIS?”

“Yes Agent Barton?”

“How is-What is going on?”

“To what are you referring?” Clint didn’t respond. He felt like that kind of thinking was too difficult right now. “Agent Romanoff and Mr Wilson are watching the Disney Movie _Alice and Wonderland_. Captain Rogers is recovering in his room. Bruce is working with ZoomZoom.”

Clint blinked. They had all met ZoomZoom by accident if not by design and Bruce was probably with the best “people” he could be with. Natasha was with Sam, who had experience dealing with loss in others and himself. Tony had been looking forward to _Alice and Wonderland_. He would trust Sam to know what he was doing. Steve, on the other hand. Steve had lost a lot and everyone had a breaking point.

“Has Steve asked for privacy?” Tony had died protecting Steve.

“Negative.” 

Clint took off.

Finding Steve on the floor in front of his couch wasn’t hard. Even with the lights mostly off, the man stood out. Clint gently let himself down on the carpet next to the stunned captain.

Steve was looking at the white cloth in his hands through glassy eyes. Clint could see evidence of tears streaking down his cheeks. He slowly leaned into the man.

Neither spoke for a few minutes before Clint remembered something. “So…I think he left us messages.” Steve didn’t respond. Clint bit his lip a moment. “I’ll just listen to mine then.”

Steve just blinked. Clint glanced at the TV. It had stopped freaking him out some time ago how JARVIS was everywhere. “Hey JARVIS? Play my message from Tony here please.”

“Please complete the sentence, Agent Barton. ‘Better clench up, ______” Clint grinned as he softly responded.

“Legolas.” He shook his head. “Tony and his nicknames.”

The screen flicked to life and they saw Tony sitting at his bench.

“Hey Bird-Boy. Everyone gets a message from me in case something happens. I like closure that way. Plus, the last time I almost died I didn’t really have any messages ready even though I had all my stuff taken care of and Pep told me if I did _ that _ again she would murder me. I tried to explain I would already be dead, but I gave up because it looked like she was going to murder me then!" 

“Message to you, right. I have no idea what to say. You are the other clown so I guess, please don’t let them all turn into boring, old farts with my shining self there to liven things up! Seriously, dude these guys would cramp my style without you. Also, wait until another flier joins before jumping off anymore rooftops, m’kay pumpkin?”

Tony was grinning, but then he turned serious. “Actually Clint, I do need you to do something for me. Help Steve. Brucie will still have JARVIS and the bots. Natasha will have you no matter what happens. Thor has Jane and Darcy. But I worry about Steve.”

Clint glanced at Steve who had perked up a bit at his name.

“Our fearless leader lost everyone he knew once already. I know Brucie and I are best friends, but I think on some level Steve and I need each other too. Keep him from becoming too regimented for me. Kay? Life is supposed to be lived, experienced, not suffered. Thanks Dude.”

“Also, I was always three projects ahead of you. JARVIS has the files so Brucie can make the next project. Right now it these oven mitts that squirt the wearer. I’m about to start working on them. Later.”

Both men sat in silence and JARVIS paused the screen on the image of Tony waving. Clint chuckled wetly, feeling his throat close slightly.

“Those were awesome. Six months ago. Remember? It was Natasha’s turn to bake with Bruce. I thought she was going to kill us.”

Steve nodded, eyes still red and glassy. It took a few minutes but Steve finally opened his mouth. The first sound was a croak, but his second try worked, “JARVIS please play my message.”

“Please complete this phrase, Captain. ‘It seems to run on some form of _____” Steve grinned gently.

“Electricity.” His soft whisper barely brush Clint’s hearing, but JARVIS apparently heard it since the screen once again came to life.

“Hey Cap. So I’m dead. Right, that’s done. Look, I duuno what happened or any of that nonsense, but I’m dead, you’re not, subject done. Now, the afterlife. I hope there’s pretty girls and boys here for me and I’m having the time of my death while you’re watching this!” Steve smiled at that. Then Tony turned sober.

“Actually, if there is a hell, I’m probably already burning there. Steve, I never explained to you how much the Avenger’s saved me. I was a monster trying to play hero without a clue as to how to do it. You were right, I wasn’t a hero. You made me one. My Dad wasn’t right about much, but he was right about you, you are hope for people. Now don’t let it go to your head, you’re still a regular guy from Brooklyn, yikes by the way. I helped kill millions, a you helped me save millions. The only thing I can think of to say is Thank you. Thank you for being Steven Grant Rogers that my Dad remembers. Keep Snarking!”

The video ended there. Clint glanced at Steve out of the corner of his eye. Steve had tears trailing silently down his cheeks as he curled around the cloth. Clint saw his body start to shake with silent sobs. He leaned closer, wrapping an arm around the broad shoulders. He was close enough that he could hear the man's response to the video.

“You helped me too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apparently I love torturing Steve right now. Comment and send Steve some love!
> 
> Steve memories are from two fics in this series; [ Re-assemble ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8793814), and [ Red Room Returns](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13768080); and two films; the first Avengers Film and the first Captain America Film.


	3. Superfluity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Superfluity: the state of being superfluous or unnecessary. Which Tony is most certainly not

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heads up: Rhodes goes by Jim sometimes. This is not to be confused with Jimmy, who is a random friend of Tony's

Tony blinked slowly as he woke for what felt like the 30th time that night. Looking over, he saw the horizon lightening slightly, “Morning soon?” His companion glanced at him and shrugged. “This will be the first morning in a while without coffee for me. Do you like coffee?” He just got a confused blink.

“I don’t know what Russians have instead of coffee, Natasha drinks tea most of the time. How about pancakes, do you like pancakes? Steve makes the best pancakes of the Avengers. His eggs aren’t bad either, but he cannot make a muffin to save the world!” Tony must be hungry if he was talking about food.

“Don’t remember.” Tony blinked.

“You don’t remember pancakes, or you don’t remember if you like them.” That earned him a confused frown. “Well they aren’t terrible, there are certainly more interesting breakfast foods, what do you like to eat for breakfast?” The assassin was barely visible in the dark, but Tony could see when he decided to answer.

“Eggs.”

“Just eggs? Oh boy. We have got to broaden your palette! I had this breakfast once in Italy, that’s where my mom was from. Anyway, breakfast in Italy…”

A small smile spread across the stern features as he let the genius prattle on. It had been quiet for so long, this could be termed as a relief.

* * *

Steve gasped as he sat up, wide awake despite the early hour. Looking over, he saw the sun just peaking over the horizon. Looking around wondering what woke him, he noticed JARVIS quietly calling his name.

“Captain America?” 

He sighed and rubbed his hair. “I thought we had agreed you would call me Steve.” He stood, carrying the apron as he walked and pulled out cereal with one hand.

“Apologies Steve, you did not answer earlier. I wanted to let you know that Ms Potts has arrived and Col Rhodey is with her.” Steve nearly choked on his cereal before swallowing.

“And the rest of the team?”

“Bruce is still in the main workshop. I have notified him as well. Agent Barton is sleeping in his nest, he didn’t fall asleep until 0423. Agent Romanoff and Sergeant Wilson are sleeping on the couch of the main common room.” Steve stood, disposing of the remaining of the cereal, it was sawdust in his mouth.

“I’m on my way to the common floor. Let Pepper know I’ll meet her there.”

* * *

Bruce looked up from the countertop when the elevator opened. When he saw Pepper and Rhodes he stood immediately. Both had been on the other side of the world last night but JARVIS had no problem bringing them home. He stood and started for them as Steve appeared from the other elevator.

“Bruce, what’s going on? JARVIS called me back last night without any explanation.”

“Yeah, he really needs to not hack the government to change my orders. Tony shouldn’t have that kind of access, and he definitely shouldn’t show it off!” 

Bruce felt his chest wrench as the fond irritation Rhodes had often shown Tony. Kind of a playful little brother, always getting in trouble. Steve had froze. 

Bruce just looked at Pepper, knowing she would figure it out first. He saw the moment it occurred to her why Tony hadn’t called himself. Then why the Avengers were in the Tower and not the hospital. And then why they weren’t in the medical bay. He watched as all the spark in her eyes slowly crumbled and she just shook her head. That made the tears return, because of all of them, Pepper had done the most to help Tony with the least training or support.

She just shook her head slowly and Bruce stepped towards her. He didn’t see Rhodes figure it out, but by the time Bruce engulfed Pepper in his arms the colonel had backed away and was fisting his hands as Pepper collapsed in Bruce’s grasp.

Her quiet denials were buried under her broken pleas as Bruce held her close, knowing instinctively that this was another person whose life centered around the crazy engineer. 

Had centered.

Jim watched as Bruce connected with Pepper and he turned to the Avenger he usually connected with over Tony. “What happened?” Steve was white under his current tan. He looked almost as in shock as Bruce and Pepper.

“Saved me.” That was really all he needed to say, because Jim understood exactly what he meant. His endlessly selfless brother had given his life to protect someone he cared about, someone he thought the world needed more than Iron Man.

He looked at Pepper who was quietly crying in Bruce’s arms. The tear-streaked brown eyes looked up to meet his and Jim knew that Bruce would be there for Pepper. Tony had made sure of it.

* * *

Barnes chuckled as Tony whined about the motorcycle they had finally limped to. Tony felt better for the chuckle since he was likely white from the pain of being dragged with a broken leg. He was not looking forward to getting on that damn bike.

“So where are you going to take me?” Barnes glanced at him, but all he saw was honest curiosity and a big dose of ‘Oh my fucking god, please distract me’.

“Rome.” 

Tony chuckled. “When in Rome?” Barnes blinked at him a moment before the memory of that idiom slotted into place. Tony continued before he could say anything, “So near Utica right?” Barnes nodded.

“Gotcha. I got this friend at Utica College. They could help me get a message to the team with letting gun welding psychopaths know. Sound good?” 

“Not Steve.” Barnes looked at him. Tony blinked.

“Ooookay. You don’t want to Steve to know you’re here?” 

Barnes gave him a firm nod as he started up the bike. The rumble of the engine made Tony moan.

“Not good.” Barnes informed the pained genius.

“K Great, how do you want me to explain me getting to Utica with a broken leg then?” Tony snarked back at him. Barnes shrugged. “How about this, I give you an hour head start before I contact them? I’ll give you a pass into Avenger’s Tower so you can come whenever, but come on you just saved my life, or at least my ability to walk. There some sort of rule about saving lives of heroes and such isn’t there?”

Barnes gave him that amused look.

“Tell Steve I’m okay.” 

Tony grinned back.

* * *

Natasha had eventually made everyone coffee and Steve automatically made omelets. Steve and Bruce were the only avengers with real domestic experience, so they did much of the cooking. Natasha liked to bake and tried to cook with Bruce, but alone was a disaster. They could tease Tony into helping- Steve stopped that thought. Tony had always hung around making a nuisance of himself when Steve made omelets. He would try to add silly things to the skillet or large items that need serious cutting. One time Steve had caught him trying to add a whole carrot to an omelet, green end and all. Steve snorted.

“What?” Steve jumped. He glanced at Natasha as she filled cups of coffee. Clint had yet to make an appearance. “Just remembering a time Tony wanted carrot in his omelet. He tried to add a whole, un-skinned carrot.” Natasha simply looked confused, but he heard Bruce and Pepper chuckle wetly behind him.

“He tried to make me an omelet once. It took him 3 hours and it wasn’t edible.” They looked at Pepper. She was looking at her coffee, tears running steadily down her face. “It was his way of trying to tell me about the palladium.”

Steve glanced at Bruce in question when she didn’t elaborate. “Tony’s first design for his arc reactor used palladium as a center. It was poisoning him. Tasha and Fury helped him when he had less than a week left.” 

Steve set the omelet plate down hard, staring at him. 

_ “I think I’d rather cut the wire.” _

“Always a way out” he muttered. That was why Tony believed that. He had come close to dying several times. His brain had saved him each time. 

“He made her an omelet and gave her the company. He gave me a headache and tricked me into taking a suit.” Rhodes was standing next to them. Steve glanced at him in question as he smiled sadly and drank his coffee. 

Pepper was the one that answered. “We found out about the Palladium after the fact. He had a birthday party.” She wiped her cheeks as Steve blinked.

“I remember that. It was on the news. He was in the suit and acting like a drunk frat boy.” 

Pepper nodded. Natasha picked up the story when it looked like Pepper wasn’t going to continue. “He was trying to irritate Col Rhodes enough to take the suit. Giving it would have roused too much suspicion.”

Steve swallowed. 

Tony poured everything into those suits. Giving one to someone meant a great deal.

* * *

Tony groaned as Barnes sat him down in the stall at the diner. Tony nodded to him. “An hour, then I’ll sweet talk myself to that waitress and make my calls.” Barnes nodded. “Don’t forget to come to me if you need anything or if that arm gets too annoying.” Barnes nodded again.

Then he hesitated a moment. “Thanks” he said awkwardly.

Tony looked up at him. “Usually that’s what I would say, isn’t it? I could be wrong, Pep says I don’t always pay close enough attention to such things. Which is silly because really I’ve been in the spotlight enough in my life to know exactly how such things work and I know I’m supposed to thank you for saving my life not the other way around.” 

Barnes just kept looking at him in amusement. “You’re welcome” he said finally. 

Tony blinked at him. “But I didn’t say it yet? You should at least give me the chance to say it properly. I don’t say it very often.” Barnes raised an eyebrow. “Nope, forget it, you already said ‘You’re welcome’. You missed your chance.” Barnes snorted. Tony grinned unrepentantly.

“You remind me of Steve.” 

Tony froze. Barnes didn’t wait around though. He tossed a ten on the table and walked away.

“Well, his memory is messed up.” Tony’s mutter made him feel better since there was no way he was like the hero of his father’s time. He wasn’t a hero. “So, will the pretty lady take pity on me and pour a cup of coffee?”

As expected the waitress flushed and chuckled at the much younger man before pouring him a steaming mug and setting it in front of him, taking care to avoid his splinted leg.

* * *

Steve was on the balcony when Clint finally made an appearance. Natasha corralled him immediately to eat some breakfast and Jim decided now was as good a time as ever to talk to the Captain. Bruce and Pepper were talking quietly. He had heard JARVIS mentioned a few times and a protocol which meant they were probably discussing whatever computer thing Tony had done in the event of his death to protect JARVIS.

Jim walked out onto the landing pad and leaned on the railing next to the soldier. “You said he saved you.” was all the greeting Jim gave. Steve nodded. Honestly, Jim was still getting used to knowing Captain America. Steve Rogers, on the other hand was different. Steve Rogers was only 26, 20 when he entered the experiment that changed his life. Of those years, 2 had been spent in a time he did not understand well, though he was getting much better.

“I’d like to see him. Is he downstairs?”

Steve shook his head and swallowed. “What was found is in my room. Only-“ He swallowed again, “Some small pieces of the suit survived.” 

Jim swallowed. “I see.” He frowned. “No body?” 

“The mask was blown clear enough of the explosion, there is blood, but the rest…You should have seen the explosion.” Steve shook his head. James frowned again.

“Even a massive explosion, the suit should have protected some of him.” 

“He activated the self-destruct.” 

That shut Jim up. Tony would have made sure nothing survived of the suit after that. If he had been wearing the suit…

There was nothing left.

* * *

Tony grinned as his friend sighed irritably when he got the diner. Calling him had been the only real option. Jimmy had been behind him 2 years at MIT and so they were closer in age than his own classmates. Rhodey had taken the kid under his wing and introduced him to Tony. Their biggest argument was Jimmy’s continued desire to work for a university because he wanted to teach. Tony didn’t get it. Still they had kept in touch and before Bruce, Tony had gone to the scientist for biochem assistance when it delved too far into theory.

“Do I want to know why you are in Rome with a broken leg and no money?” 

Tony just kept grinning. Jimmy sighed and sat down, placing his Starkphone on the table.

“This business or pleasure?” Jimmy was well aware of Tony’s diversions, but he thought they had ended after Afghanistan. 

Tony grabbed the phone eagerly and shook his head. “Avengers. Apparently I’m a wanted man.” Jimmy grumbled about what else was new and asked the waitress for a cup of decaf. “Hang on a sec…aaaaand got it!” Jimmy was used to Tony reworking his electronic stuff. Tony always had. As long as it still did what _ he _ needed it to do afterwards, he was fine with it.

“You have reached JARVIS Assistance Server. Please state your name, title, location and the needed assistance.” Tony grinned, feeling his shoulders relaxing at just hearing JARVIS’s voice, even the automated version.

“Hi J. This is Daddy, Title: Iron Man. I’m in Rome, New York and I need a covert conversation with Bruce or Steve.” He heard the double beep indicating his passcode had worked and JARVIS was coming on the line.

“It is a relief to hear your voice Sir. We were under the impression you were dead.” 

Tony blinked, when the bad guy last night had said that, he hadn’t really thought the team thought that. Of course when you blow up your suit, it would follow that anything inside said suit was gone. “Awesome, Can I talk to Bruce in private then.”

“Yessir.” 

Tony waited a moment while Jimmy perused the menu. Jimmy glanced up. “By the way, I have a high school student I’d like you meet when you’re NOT being pursued by dangerous people, unknown or otherwise.” Tony nodded eagerly. Jimmy had sent a few Tony’s way over the years and they had all been excellent acquisitions.

“Hello?” 

Tony winced. Bruce sounded worse than sad. He sounded almost defeated. He felt his stomach plummet. He hoped Pepper had been spared this. “Hi Big Guy” Tony said gently. There was absolute silence on the other end of the line. Bruce didn’t even seem to be breathing. Tony was about to ask JARVIS for an update when he spoke again.

“Tony?!?” 

Tony felt even worse as he drew his snark to keep his composure. “Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.” He heard Bruce’s breath catch. “Actually I kind of need a ride.” Bruce gave a strangled sound. “Um, you need to be a little clearer buddy, can one of you guys swing around and pick me up or not?” He heard a growl and crashing before JARVIS came back on the line.

“Sir, Hulk is on his way.” 

Tony chuckled thinly. “Did he at least use the balcony?” 

“I must report that you have a new doorway in the side of your floor, Sir.” 

Tony rolled his eyes. “Did you at least tell him where I am?” 

“I did not have the chance, Sir.” 

Tony frowned. Even Hulk wouldn’t come look for him with some sort of clue. “Can you track him for me?”

“Yes Sir.” 

Tony glanced at Jimmy, shaking his head at the offer for breakfast. His leg was hurting enough to ruin his appetite.

“He is heading in your direction, Sir.”

“How the hell does he know where I am?”

“He may be heading for the fight location. From here the trajectory is only 5 degrees apart.” 

Tony sighed.

“Okay, got it. If he finds me, we’re good. If not I’ll need to talk to one of the others.”

“Understood Sir.”

* * *

Steve forced himself to stand up and walk towards Pepper when JARVIS called Bruce into another room. He sat next to the distraught woman. She was staring at the table, tears sitting just behind her lashes.

“He let me be independent” Pepper said quietly. Steve glanced at her. She just kept looking at the table. “My brother and father didn’t believe much in girls. Daddy loved me, but he didn’t think I could do anything but keep house like Mom did. Even after they died, Mom believed that. Tony changed all that.”

She took a shaky breath, wiped her face again. “I know he didn’t think that way, but Tony let me make all my own decisions. Even choose my own birthday present.” She laughed wetly. “He treated me like a equal once I said I wasn’t interested in sleeping with him. He only slept with unmarried women who reacted to his flirting.” She swallowed, shoulders curving in as fresh tears started down her cheeks.

“All those guys who called me ‘Honey’ or ‘Babe’. Who tried to make a deal by placing a hand on my leg or an arm around my shoulders. Tony ogled a woman until she gave him the back off look. But then he stopped, like a switch. He never even tried to be macho and defend me from those assholes until we were dating.” Pepper’s lip trembled. “He trusted me to know what I wanted to do.”

Steve watched helplessly as she broke down again. He hated it when someone cried, he always felt so damn helpless. He finally placed a hand on her shoulder and she leaned into his chest as sobs wrack her slight frame. Steve looked at Col Rhodes in concern only to find him watching the scene with sad eyes.

A crash brought their attention to the room Bruce had disappeared into. 

“JARVIS, Report!”

“Hulk has left the Tower, Captain.” 

Steve grimaced. “Any idea where he is headed?” Sam was the only one here who could fly. The rest of them would need the Quinjet to chase him.

“Yessir. I am tracking him. Assuming he is heading to the predicted location, he should arrive there in approximately 44 minutes.” 

Steve grimaced. “Since you know where he is going, do you know if he’s coming back.”

“I predict a 85% probability Hulk or Bruce will return today. I predict a 4 % probability he will cause major destruction during this time.” 

Steve relaxed. Hulk probably wanted some time to sort himself out too. Tony had been close to the big guy.

“She’s asleep.” Steve looked down at Pepper at Rhodes’ comment. Around Tony as much as she had, he guessed crashes were normal. “She’s right about Tony, you know,” Rhodes said. Steve glanced at him. “When I met him, it was his first year at MIT. He was mouthing off to a senior, 8 years older than him. I was part of ROTC, pilot training.” Rhodes sat on the seat, rubbing his head.

“Turns out he was trying to explain why the guys girlfriend didn’t like him and was in fact scared of him. When I asked him about it he simply looked at me and said, ‘Starks make weapons that fight against terrorists. He was terrorizing her, so he’s a terrorist.’ Then he went on a long explanation about her engineering project he was fixing. She ended being a pretty good friend.”

Steve looked at him. “I doubt he ever called me a friend. The first day we met, I told him he wasn’t a hero, wasn’t worth it.” Steve looked down. “We reached a compromise after a while, but I never really said how much I didn’t believe that.” Steve looked up to see Rhodes staring at him.

“He thought the world of you Captain. Tony used you to model his moral code much of his life. I won’t deny that he hated that his father cared a great deal more about you then his own son. Tony's defensive when he’s hurt, but he told me you were the leader of the Avengers. I never thought Tony would let anyone be his leader.” Rhodes took a breath before he continued.

“He did trust you.”

* * *

“Sir, Hulk will be at your location in 5 minutes. He detoured to the fight site and then headed almost straight for your location.” 

Tony grinned. “Scent, he’s following my scent” he exclaimed. Bruce had complained about it once, how when Hulk was close but not out, he could smell everyone’s scent. He liked Tony’s, but Fury’s made him on edge. “Thanks J. I’ll see you back at the Tower.”

“Yes Sir. I shall keep this secret until you are safely behind Stark Industry’s walls.” 

Tony grinned as he ended the connection and looked over at his friend, who was finishing up breakfast.

“Someone on their way?.” 

“Yeah, Want to help me outside?” Tony asked. Jimmy stood and left some money before helping the engineer to his feet and assisting him as he hopped to the door. A wink at the waitress had her opening the door and waving at them.

Tony directed Jimmy to the corner of the parking lot closest to the woods. “Thanks I’ll contact you in a few days about the kid.”

Jimmy snorted. “You expect me to just leave you here?” 

“I doubt I’ll be able to talk once the Big Guy gets here. He’s pretty possessive.” Tony shook his head. Jimmy mouthed the word. Who would Tony let be possessive of him?

“Are you okay? Should I be worried?” 

Tony blinked at him before laughing. “Waoh no, its fine. Its not like Obie or Ty.” Jimmy didn’t really relax but he smiled at the laughing. Tony didn’t do that often enough.

“METAL MAN!” 

Both of them practically levitated as Hulk landed in the parking lot and bee-lined for him. Jimmy blinked and stared as the largest Avenger appeared in front of him. He was about to jump in front of Tony, when the giant halted at Tony’s raised hands.

“Hi Big Guy! You’ve got to be gentle, I’m hurt.” 

Hulk seemed to regard him a moment, before his hand reached out and slowly cradled Tony’s rear. The billionaire helped Hulk pick him up and Hulk slowly cuddled the smaller form close.

“Metal Man Hurt?” 

Tony fell into the hug, feeling quite overwrought. His leg was stabbing painful right now and the rest of him wasn’t a basket of roses. “My leg, Big guy. Its hurt" he managed to say.

“Metal Man stay! No go to Banner Mama!” 

Tony swallowed. Bruce’s father was one of the biggest nightmare monsters and him killing Bruce’s mother the worst scene that brought big and green out for a night visit. “No, Big Guy, I’m not going anywhere except home.” Hulk grunted positively. Tony turned to see Jimmy and waved. Just in time, because the next moment Hulk was airborne.

* * *

The entire trip took less than two hours, but Tony couldn’t remember most of it. Once airborne, he got cold and he settled closer to Hulk’s chest, letting the heat from his large muscles warm him. Hulk looked down at him with a smile.

“Metal Man stay close now. No go. Hulk Protect Metal Man.” 

Tony smiled and felt himself lulled into a doze to the sound of his heartbeat.

Car horns woke him up to tell him he was back in Manhattan. He glanced around to see them coming up on the tower.

“Any idea who’s here, Big Guy?” 

Hulk grunted. “Metal Man here.” 

Tony shrugged, he would find out when they landed.

* * *

Steve was relieved when JARVIS reported Hulk was back in Manhattan. Natasha and Clint were talking to Coulson on their floor. He rose from the couch where Pepper was still resting and went to meet the behemoth on the balcony with Rhodes.

Hulk landed almost gently for him and he looked around quickly. Steve wasn’t certain what to do. How do you comfort a, to use Tony’s words, giant rage monster? Hulk glanced at Steve and Rhodes a moment and growled at Rhodes. They hadn’t met much and Rhodes was currently dressed in his uniform.

“I’ll be with Pepper.” Rhodes displayed the reason he could survive a lifetime of Tony, by not only his patience but also his acceptance of Hulk’s need for space.

“Hulk protect Metal Man.” 

Steve’s heart broke again. 

“Hulk-, Big Guy…Listen Tony isn’t-“ Steve took a deep breath. He wasn’t sure if Hulk even understood death.

“I’m pretty sure Cap’s safe, Big Guy.” 

Steve’s head snapped up. That voice. Hulk was looking at his arms as he knelt and Steve felt his brain stutter to a halt at the figure in his arms.

“TONY!” Pepper rushed by him and nearly crashed into Tony. She would have if Hulk hadn’t placed his hand in her way. Pepper and Hulk had met several times and liked each other, more or less.

“Metal Man Hurt. Be Gentle.”

Tony grinned at Hulk like it was an inside joke, but Pepper didn’t care. She barely blinked before she ducked around Hulk’s arm and wrapped herself around Tony’s chest.

“Oh my god!” Steve heard Natasha whisper as Clint sped past him also. Rhodes was hanging back, probably aware of Hulk’s previous response to him. Clint immediately leaped on Hulk’s arm and hugged the billionaire from behind next to Pepper. 

“He’s alive!” 

Steve swallowed and nodded. He smiled. He’s alive.

* * *

Tony finally coaxed everyone to move to the common room, even Hulk. Tony groaned as Hulk finally set him on the couch. He looked at his green teammate.

“Thanks for picking me up Big Guy. I kind of need Brucie now. My leg needs serious painkillers.” 

Hulk grunted contently and he sat down, continuing to shrink in a familiar manner. Tony had seen it after he had talked with Hulk about nightmares. This was how they changed when Hulk was content and feeling safe.

Bruce shuddered as he took a deep breath in front of Tony. Tony wanted desperately to reach out for him, but he was too far away and his leg had given up on him and was now torturing him with even stronger waves of pain. 

Luckily Steve read the problem and caught the Doctor before he collapsed. Bruce was panting as he gasped. “Tony!”

“Right here buddy.” Bruce looked up, tears already starting down his face. Steve helped the shaky scientist over and Bruce gripped his pants, burying his face in his lap. “Tony!”

Tony curled over his best friend, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. “I’m right here, Buddy. You’ve got me.” Tony didn’t need to glance up to know Pepper was the one to wrap her arms around his shoulders. She also let her fingers run through Bruce’s curls as the man sobbed in his lap, ignoring the audience completely.

They stayed like that for several minutes, Bruce calming to an occasional hiccup. Eventually he started to rise. Unfortunately he placed his hands on Tony’s thigh to do so. Tony’s hiss of pain caught all their attention. Bruce sprang up and back as Natasha immediately pulled Pepper away. Rhodey and Clint grabbed Tony before he could fall off the couch.

“Thanks guys.” Tony weak response was barely understandable over his panting breath. Every muscle was screaming at him. Bruce knelt next to him.

“Tony, Talk to me. What’s going on?”

Tony practically choked at that question. “What do you think is going on, I hurt!” He didn’t know if anyone rolled their eyes at that.

“I know that, Tony. Where and how?”

He felt Bruce’s calloused hands on his face, guiding him to look at the Doctor.

“Leg broken. Everything else just bruised. Really badly.” That last bit was said through gritted teeth, but that didn’t seem to bother Bruce as he moved down to Tony’s leg. Tony almost cried out at the loss of contact, but Clint, who had been paying attention, placed his hand on Tony’s shoulder and Pepper placed her hands on his face.

Tony whimpered as Bruce check out the splint and talked JARVIS into setting up their x-ray machine. “Brucie, I know you want to do this right, but please, for the love of god, give me something!” Bruce frowned at him, but sighed and nodded. He looked around to see who was here and currently looking for a task. His eyes landed on Steve and he was about to ask him, but something in Steve’s eyes was off.

Steve was staring at Tony, he looked utterly terrified. Bruce called his name in concern. When the man failed to respond or even hear him, he looked at Pepper and sent her after Tony’s stash he knew the engineer kept in the lab. He glanced at Steve again before turning back to his science bro, who was slowly dissolving into pained whimpers. 

Steve stared at Tony as Bruce set up the equipment. Sweat was pouring down the man even though it was apparent the pain medicine had helped some. Steve felt bile rise in his throat. The man was alive and in pain. Again he was doing nothing.

Silently he turned and rushed out of the room.

* * *

Tony sighed softly as he felt himself sitting contently in that fuzzy place of pain killers and awareness. Bruce was sitting next to the couch, his head was resting on the side next to Tony’s hip. Tony was half convinced the man was asleep even though he still had Tony’s hand in a death grip. He winced, _bad phrasing_.

It had taken them a good hour to realize Tony was feeling a bit crowded. Usually when he felt crowded either he snarked at people and they went away or he walked away, depending on how much he liked the person he wanted to disappear. Since he did in fact like those around him and he couldn’t walk away, it was a bad mix. Pepper and Rhodey had eventually left to deal with the fall out of being summoned and Natasha had left to bring Sam up to speed. He knew Clint was around here somewhere, but he had lost track of him.

Bruce was not letting him out of his sight in the near future and Tony was fairly certain that any pained sound from him would bring the scientist to full wakefulness.

The person he couldn’t figure out was Steve. Everyone had helped Bruce stabilize his leg and distract him, except the supersoldier. Not that he had expected flowers, Steve and Tony weren’t _ that _ close, but a thank you from the golden boy was not too unreasonable. Or maybe at least a nod of acknowledgement. Tony ran his fingers through Bruce’s hair gently, letting the familiar motion sooth him. This was how he would help his science partner get back to sleep after a night mare. He had never mentioned how comforting he found it. Not just the motion but that in some way he _could_ help his friend.

“He was pretty devastated.” 

Tony glanced up sharply, careful to not disturb the man practically in his lap. Steve was standing at the end of the couch. He looked highly frustrated. Tony snorted. “I heard, when I called him.” 

Steve nodded. The silence that fell was full of accusation, but Tony wasn’t sure which direction it was aimed. For once, he couldn’t read the situation at all. He blamed the meds.

“Tony…” 

Tony glanced at the super soldier as he trailed off. Tony waved at him with one hand, careful not to disturb Bruce.

“Don’t worry about this, go on.” Tony said tiredly. Steve blinked at him in confusion. “Bruce will baby me until I’m well enough to fight, so you don’t need to supervise. I’ll behave.” Steve bristled. Tony felt his heart sink as he recalled the conversation they were having before all this. “I’ll be back up soon, and like you said, I’m _unnecessary_.”

Steve made a strangled sound. “Tony, that wasn’t what I meant!” 

Tony glanced at him with a raised eyebrow. “I repeat, ‘Not good enough. I don’t want you out there with an injured wrist when it’s not necessary’.” Tony recited scathingly, though quietly. 

Steve gaped at his recitation a moment before frowning. “The emphasis was the injury. I don’t like an injured teammate fighting if it can be avoided. The chance of permanent injury is higher when you are already injured.” 

“I can take care of myself, thank you very much!” Tony glared at him. 

“Yeah, I noticed!” Steve growled at him and gestured at his leg. Tony gritted his teeth and looked away. “Dammit Tony, I had just stopped you from getting killed. It rattled me and I wasn’t watching my word choice. If Bruce hadn’t been knocked out of the running, you could have helped from the quinjet and not aggravate an injury that had to have been hurting!” 

Tony watched as Steve ran his hands through his hair in frustration. “I said I was fine!”

“And I didn’t want to risk losing another friend!” Steve looked away as Tony blinked in surprise. Steve paced a moment, fist clenching repeatedly. This man always made him lose control of his tongue.

Tony finally spoke next, it was in a small voice. “I didn’t think we were friends.” 

Steve froze and glanced at Tony, who was now carefully looking at Bruce and playing with his hair instead of looking at Steve.

“You don’t think we are friends?” 

Tony shrugged. When Steve said nothing, the man continued, “We always argue and fight. That’s not typical friend activities, I’m told.” Tony glanced at Steve briefly and Steve deflated at the look. It was rare and usually on painkillers that any of them saw Tony uncertain. 

Steve sighed, rubbing his hand through his hair. He searched for what to say that wouldn’t make the prickly billionaire pull away. Talking about feelings with Tony always reminded him of the aftermath of an asthma attack when he was young. If he wasn’t measured and controlled perfectly, he would start coughing again.

“Look, I’m going to say this and you don’t take it weird, okay?” Steve finally said. Tony blinked at him, scowling in confusion. “You do! When any of us try to tell you we like having you around, that you are in fact, our friend, you pull this strange persona up that has walls that would make China proud. You deflect, distract, hell even attack, anything to prevent yourself from simply admitting you believe us.”

Tony was now gaping at Steve. 

“Tony, you are my friend. End of sentence. There is no proviso, addendums, or conditions to that. You drive me nuts, but so did Bucky and we both know he was my best friend for years.” 

Tony looked away quickly at the mention of the Sergeant. Steve rolled his eyes. “See? That! You avoid the whole topic instead of accept the idea that we like you for you.” 

Tony winced. “I found him.” 

Steve frowned. “Who? And don’t change the damn subject!” 

Tony rolled his eyes. “Barnes.” Steve felt his lungs freeze a moment. “Actually he found me, that’s probably more accurate.”

“What?” Steve’s voice was a bit faint. “He found…” His eyes took on a bit of clarity. “Your leg is broken, but you found a way to civilization with a phone.” 

Tony nodded. Most of the team joked about Tony’s magical ability to find or build technology anywhere, but it wasn’t magic and there isn’t any tech in the middle of a national park so Tony would have had to make it to a city somehow.

“I catapulted myself out of the suit as it blew.” 

“Tony, you were at least 20 feet in the air!” Steve’s breath caught. 

“Yeah, well I _ knew _ I wasn’t going to survive the explosion if I was _ in _ the suit. But in a tree or midair, I had options, possibilities.” 

Steve was silent a moment. “Like replacing palladium?” Tony gave him a confused look, but Steve waved it off. “So you became superman, then what?”

Tony snorted. “Don’t you know, I am a super man.” Steve rolled his eyes as Tony babbled, “Seriously how did you get that reference and not the Holy Robots Batman?”

“Tonyyyyyyyy!” 

“He caught me.” Tony said quickly. Steve focused again. “Apparently he had been watching the battle and saw you save me earlier. He’s the one with the Bite.” Steve nodded. Tony was looking resolutely away. 

Steve got the feeling this was another distraction to prove Steve would rather focus on anything than Tony’s friendship. No wonder everyone had hid their own feelings on the matter. This was exhausting!

“I wasn’t actually conscious for a while. By the time I woke up again it was dark. By the way, your best friend is way creepy at night, did you know that?” 

Steve snorted. Bucky, the Bucky he had grown up with, would have found that hysterical. Tony and Bucky were a lot alike in their sense of humor.

“He calls himself Asset by the way. Not that he talks much. He got me to Rome. On a motorcycle. I do not ever want to ride a motorcycle again with a broken leg. Or a broken anything. That fucking hurts.” Tony took a deep breath before his tone of voice woke Bruce. Steve was watching him intently.

“Well…? Oh he said to tell you he’s doing okay.” Steve nodded, but didn’t say anything. Tony gritted his teeth, internally swearing at the painkillers he was on and their effect on his ability to read a social situation. “Are you going to say something, or stare at me?” 

“Have you finished telling the story?” Tony glared at the supersoldier. Steve nodded. “Okay, he’s alive, and obvious functioning mildly well. We have new information to use in the search. That’s good.” 

Tony nodded.

“Now, back to the subject I wanted to talk about, since it seems to be a point of confusion for us. You. Are. My. Friend.” Steve state stubbornly.

Tony blinked at him. “I just told you I met your best friend, whom you have been looking for since you found out he was alive and all you can say is 'I’m your friend'?!?” That tone of voice definitely woke Bruce. 

“What’s going on? Tony, are you alright?” 

Steve felt bad they had woken the scientist, but he held up a finger and shook his head asking for a moment. Bruce seemed to relax when he realized they were just talking.

“Brucieeeeee, Steve isn’t making any sense.” Tony’s whine brought a smile to Bruce’s face and Steve had to strain to avoid a similar thing. This was too important. He hadn’t realized that Tony truly didn’t believe they were friends. He had thought the man simply didn’t like to state it aloud.

“Tony, I can repeat myself until you get it. I don’t mind repeating myself.” He managed to keep his voice firm even though both scientists were very amusing at the moment. Bruce just raised his eyebrow at them, but Tony sulked, muttering to himself. Steve raised an eyebrow.

“I don’t know why. I hate not knowing why. There is no reason! That’s why its not correct.” 

Steve did snort at that. “I pick the reason, not you. My reason is…you like blueberries.” 

Tony glared at him.

Steve shrugged. “I get to pick my own reasons, Tony. I could have said my floor, the nuke, teammates, all kinds of reasons, but they aren’t quite right. End of the day, I just like being around you, and that makes you my friend.” He grinned as Tony’s eyes got really wide. He heard Bruce chuckle.

“Its enough.” 

Tony looked at him in surprise. Apparently that meant something to the engineer because a moment later his face softened. He shook his head.

“Fine, Cap. Welcome to Camp Stark. Make sure to check in with ringleader Potts and scout master Rhodey.” 

Steve grinned. “I will.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Done! I have brought right to the Avenger's universe! Aaaaaaaand Steve and Tony have had a talk *gasp* 
> 
> "Its Enough" is from the second chapter in [ A New Reality ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12274683) where Tony "asks" Bruce if Tony wanting Bruce to stay was enough for Bruce to stay.
> 
> Please Please Please Comment!
> 
> Also, sorry about Bucky but I really wanted Steve to tell Tony BEFORE he brings home his brainwashed assassin blood-brother
> 
> chapter titles are 3 things that are greatly exaggerated: Tony’s insignificance, Tony’s death, and Tony's Superfluity

**Author's Note:**

> So I really wanted to address Steve and Tony utter lack of conversation about their friendship. Tough guys say they just know and such and I think its annoying. I know talking about feels give some people hives, but I think those are often the people that need to hear abut feels most anyway. 
> 
> And this Steve isn't allergic to feels. Just...earnest and nervous. :)


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